Elizabeth Ray
Executive Director Thomas Rains appeared recently on Capitol Journal—a public affairs program produced by Alabama Public Television and hosted by Todd Stacy—to discuss the Johnson Institute, Judge Johnson’s role in the Civil Rights Movement, and the anniversary of the Voting Rights Act.
The conversation began with a focus on Judge Johnson’s career and his role in the historic Browder v. Gayle case. The landmark case, which was decided in 1956, found segregation on public transportation to be unconstitutional. The discussion then turned to Judge Johnson’s ruling in Williams v. Wallace, which authorized the 1965 Selma to Montgomery March by upholding the protestors’ first amendment rights.
Additionally, the conversation included discussion of programs at the Johnson Institute and the Institute’s mission to provide civic education in topics surrounding the Constitution and the judiciary. “Since we’ve started [in 2019] we have had over 3,500 people come through that we have trained, educated, or interacted with,” Rains said. These groups range from students on field trips to professional development programs.
The interview coincided with the 59th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, which passed in part due to support generated by the Selma March.